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Two Fables Inspired by the Wisdom of Confucius

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Two Fables Inspired by the Wisdom of Confucius Two Fables Inspired by the Wisdom of Confucius By Daniel Redman Illustrated by Alex Thomas s a sophomore in high school, I began an independent study of the Confucian Analects that culminated two years A later in a commentary on the text and three original short children’s stories. Printed here are two of those stories, dealing with the important Confucian concepts of humility and the rectifi- cation of names (i.e., living up to one’s responsibilities). I am currently a senior at Johns Hopkins University, and, while I have not had the opportunity to use these stories widely, I think that they could be useful in a variety of educational settings. As a senior in high school, I presented all three stories to a second grade class as part of a one-hour presentation on Confucian phi- losophy. Overall, it went well. The children enjoyed the stories and demonstrated comprehension of the ideas. For an older class, junior high or high school, a teacher could focus on the stories as a gateway to primary source study. Each fable begins with a quotation from the Analects themselves. Con- fucian opposition to arrogance and advocacy of acting responsibly are values shared by many philosophical traditions. Because of this, the stories can be used as a bridge to comparative study. By demystifying the tradition and presenting a small part in an entertaining format, the stories aim to make Confucianism itself more accessible and interesting to an American audience. Summaries [Note about proper names: To add a further layer of interest to the stories, I chose to use the proper names of actual people mentioned in the Analects. Emperor Yao, one of the legendary sage-kings of ancient China, appears as Emperor Yao, King of the pandas. Zi-gong, one of Confucius’ primary students, appears as Zi-gong, the arrogant bird, and so on.] Min Sun and the Importance of Respect and Responsibility. Min Sun and the Importance of Min Sun is a disrespectful and irresponsible child who refuses to Respect and Responsibility listen to his parents. After being told to sleep in the barn following a particularly bad episode, he runs away to the forest where he is aster Yu said, Surely proper behavior towards parents confronted by the part-bird, part-woman Lady of the Winds (a “Mand elders is the trunk of Goodness.” The Analects of creature I invented with no connection to actual Chinese mytholo- Confucius 1:2 gy). She urges him to be a filial son and fulfill his obligations. “Duke Ching of Chi asked Confucius about government. Confu- When he refuses, challenging her reasoning, she turns the world cius answered, ‘Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject, the upside down to teach him a valuable lesson. Topics addressed father a father, the son a son.’ The Duke said, ‘Splendid! Truly, if include filial piety, the rectification of names, respect, and acting the ruler be not a ruler, the subject not a subject, the father not a responsibly. father, the son not a son, then even if there be grain, would I get to eat it?” The Analects of Confucius 12:11 Zi-gong and the Foolishness of Arrogance. Zi-gong is the most Many years ago during the reign of the Emperor Shun, there talented flyer in the avian world, zooming and darting across the lived a boy named Min Sun who saw no need to respect his par- sky and earning the admiration of all his feathered companions. ents. When his father asked him to help in the garden, he would However, when he flies down to Earth to show off for some com- reply, “Pull up the weeds yourself!” When his mother asked him mon farm animals, he receives a rude awakening. Yes, he is better to help carry clothes down to the river for washing, he would at flying than any of them, but there are things each of them can refuse, saying, “Such a lazy washerwoman!” do (making milk, running fast) that he cannot. Dejected, Zi-gong One day, Min Sun was so disrespectful that his father became flies to the bamboo forest where unexpectedly he comes upon furious. He yelled at him, “If you will not act respectfully towards Emperor Yao—King of the pandas. Emperor Yao listens to his your parents under this roof, you will sleep with the horses. Perhaps story and raises his spirits with a reflection on the foolishness of you will learn a lesson in respect from them!” As he walked to the arrogance and the true value of talents. Topics addressed include stable, Min Sun began to cry. Though disrespectful and rude, he still humility, arrogance, and the proper use of talents. loved his parents, and he was very sad that they were angry with 37 him. So, he decided to run away. “If my parents think that I’m as “I will not!” Min Sun’s mother laughed as she stuck out her shameless as an animal, I’ll go live with the animals in the forest.” tongue at him. “I am not your little servant girl. Go get some rice With tears in his eyes, Min Sun set off for the forest. He yourself.” walked and walked until night had fallen and the trees and sky were That said, a rain of apples showered Min Sun from above as dark and black. The whole forest seemed to be alive with sounds. his father shook the most bountiful branch of the tree. Little Min Sun was filled with fear and tried to find his way home, “Stop wasting all the apples,” Min Sun cried. “We won’t to no avail. After many hours of walking, he became exhausted and have any good ones for market; they’ll all be bruised.” fell asleep beside a tree. When he awoke, his eyes opened in awe, “I don’t care, little boy. I’ll do what I like. We can worry for there in front of him was the Lady of the Winds. about the market some other day.” “Hello, Min Sun,” said the Lady. She had the face and voice Min Sun was furious as he ran towards the house. He tried to of a beautiful woman but the body and feathers of a magnificent make himself a bowl of rice, but he didn’t know how, and all he bird. Her feathers seemed to be made of spun silver, and her ended up eating was lettuce. talons were pure gold. That made him think. If his father was playing in the apple “How do you know my name?” Min Sun replied. tree, then who was weeding the garden? Min Sun ran outside to “I have been watching you from the sky, little Min, and I find the vegetable patch overrun with weeds. He set to work pulling have seen how you have acted towards your parents and elders. them out. Some had grown too strong, and he had to use the rake to You have a good heart, but you act with such disrespect that this pull them out. While trying to pull out a particularly strong weed, goodness will never be enjoyed by the world. It will be like a the top of the rake came off, and Min Sun fell flat on his back. jewel buried in the dirt. I am here to help you learn the right way.” “I must go to the market to buy a new rake. If the weeds “But I don’t understand this ‘right way’ you speak of. I don’t overrun the vegetable patch, we’ll have nothing for the market, understand why I must be respectful to my parents and elders and we’ll have no money for the winter.” when they are just simple people no better than I am. All this Min Sun hurried to the market. However, when he finally got respect and responsibility I hear of makes no sense, and I believe there, what he saw made him sick with terror. The usual stalls and that we would all be much better off without it.” tables had all been turned over, and the vegetables and other A gust of wind blew through the forest, and the trees shud- wares that people had brought to sell lay all over the street in an dered from its powerful force. The Lady of the Winds spread her enormous mess. “There must have been bandits!” Min Sun enormous wings. thought to himself. He was very frightened of bandits so he kept “As you wish, Min Sun. The Winds of Change have blown very quiet as he walked down the street to the Department of Jus- through the empire, and you shall have your desire. Return now. tice. When he got to the building, he was surprised to find the Return!” Minister of Justice himself locking the door behind him. In a burst of light, the Lady of the Winds vanished, leaving “Good Minister,” whispered Min. “I believe there have been only a pearl behind. Min Sun picked up the pearl, and amazingly, bandits in the market. The Emperor’s troops must be called to after only three steps, he found himself back home. catch them.” Excitedly, Min Sun ran up the steps of the house to see if “There weren’t any bandits, little boy. The people brought anything was different. “Everything looks the same here,” he their wares to the market, and everyone attacked them and stole thought. “Perhaps the Lady of the Winds was trying to trick me. their merchandise.
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